Two Decades On, the African Union Needs to Rediscover its Founding Spirit

Last month, for the first time since 2017, a summit took place in Brussels between leaders from the European Union and the African Union. The EU is increasingly worried about its influence on the continent amid China’s efforts to entrench its position of dominance. But although the Brussels summit focused on European-African relations, the real question on the minds of many diplomats was the African Union’s effectiveness. An AU meeting with US officials last week was overshadowed by the Ukraine conflict. With the AU about to celebrate its two-decade anniversary in June, many wonder if the continental body has lost its ability to handle crises and chart an equitable path forward for the continent.

The AU came into being in 2002, when it replaced the Organization of African Unity. Based in Ethiopia, it was given a far-reaching mandate to end wars on the continent, increase intra-African trade, and establish Africa’s diplomatic voice in global affairs. These ideas took shape at a time of great optimism in Africa as the tide of democracy was rising and economic patterns were starting to help advance emerging market countries. But the hope was short-lived.

From the start, outsiders questioned the location of the AU’s headquarters, given Ethiopia’s questionable record on press freedom. Concerns were…